Donegal dad-of-two caught snorting drugs on his way into Clonmany Festival

A Carndonagh man who openly sniffed drugs on his way into last year’s Clonmany Festival has been ordered to donate €1,800 to the White Oaks rehabilitation centre.

Shay Canny, of Mullins, Carndonagh, pleaded guilty to a drugs possession charge when he appeared before Carndonagh District Court, sitting in Buncrana.

The court heard how the 28-year-old self-employed plasterer was seen by the guards inhaling an illegal substance in plain view last summer.

Defence solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn said taking drugs is now “almost like a packet of cigarettes” on a night out, however Judge Emile Daly rejected that assertion and said it should never be normalised.

She said it was an aggravating factor that Mr Canny had used the substance in front of families and young people at a community festival.

Sergeant Conor Mulkerns presented the evidence against the Carn man. He told the court how Gardai had been on patrol at Gaddyduff, Clonmany, on August 6, 2025, at approximately 9.15pm, when they observed a male, who appeared to be “sniffing a substance”.

Sgt Mulkerns said the incident occurred during the course of a local event, the Clonmany Music Festival, and Mr Canny was en route into the festival at the time.

Mr Canny was stopped and searched, and Garda Conlon found a small amount of white powder on him, which was confirmed to have a value of €50.

Solicitor MacLochlainn said his client, who had a previously clean record, had saved the State a considerable amount of time and effort by entering a guilty plea at the earliest available opportunity.

“He has a partner and two young children, and he works as a self-employed plasterer. He has no previous convictions and was fully cooperative on the night of his arrest.”

“This is the first time the case has come before the court, and he’s not looking for a statements order or anything like that. He’s saving the guards a lot of time and effort.”

Mr MacLochlainn said Mr Canny would be prepared to make a charitable donation in lieu of a criminal conviction for drugs.

“Himself and his family are hoping to go abroad at some stage, and he’d need a clean record for that.”

Judge Daly enquired as to his earnings, and was told that Mr Canny makes approximately €750 per week.

She further asked whether the Clonmany Festival was a community festival with families, and she was told that it was.

The judge accepted the defendant’s early plea, and that the value of the drugs in his possession was small, however she said his conduct was “aggravating”.

Mr MacLochlainn told the judge that the Clonmany Festival is a “busy time” for gardai in general.

“Clonmany Festival runs for an entire week, and you have all these country and western bands coming from all over the country to Clonmany.”

“You have a lot of people in the town, and the guards scrutinise everyone coming in. It’s like the motor festival in Letterkenny; it’s a busy time for the guards,” he said.

However, Judge Daly said Mr Canny’s conduct could not be condoned.

“I accept it’s a busy time. But there are young people about, and then they see someone of the age of a father openly sniffing drugs as he goes into a festival. What sort of message does that put out to young people?”

“It normalises something that should certainly never be normalised.”

Mr MacLochlainn said drug use is “happening more and more” across Inishowen.

“It’s something I’ve noticed over the last ten or twenty years, it’s almost like a packet of cigarettes these days – people are smoking and sniffing and taking drugs on a night out. I see it happening more and more often.”

At this stage during proceedings, the solicitor suggested that his client would be willing to make a “substantial charitable donation”.

Judge Daly then set the amount at €1,800. She enquired if there was a local charity that would “relate to this offence” – and Sgt Mulkerns suggested that the donation could be made to White Oaks in Muff.

The case was then adjourned for one month to allow Mr Canny to pay the sum to the Inishowen-based rehab centre. He must produce a receipt for payment by February 17, otherwise he will be convicted of possession of drugs and fined €2,000.